This band used a quirk of Facebook Live to create a unique looping musical performance

An Irish indie-rock band has used a quirk of Facebook Live to create a performance which has taken the internet by storm.

The Academic, from Westmeath, said they had noticed a delay in the streaming service when using it for Q&A sessions with fans. Shrewdly, the young band used this lag to create a loop and record a rather special, live version of their song Bear Claws.

Sit back and enjoy.

Mesmerising and unique, it’s the type of music video the internet was made for – and the recording has already accumulated more than 850,000 views on YouTube.

However, the band – Craig Fitzgerald, Dean Gavin and brothers Matt and Stephen Murtagh – made it look a lot easier than perhaps their efforts deserve credit for.

“The performance itself was one live take but we spent some time arranging the song in an interesting way so we wouldn’t give away everything straight off,” Matt told the Press Association. “Choreographing the video also took a little bit of time too, it almost felt like rehearsing for a play!”

Stephen added: “We started to notice a delay in Facebook from the time we actually go live, to the moment it shows up on people’s timelines.

“We then started to wonder if we could get the latency to be consistent and start carrying loops of audio and visuals.”

(The Academic/Partizan Artists)

The Academic’s debut album is out in early 2018. They have already toured across Europe and now the United States, as well as opening shows for Twenty One Pilots, The Strokes and Noel Gallagher.

“We’re always trying to grow and reach new audiences and, of course, videos like this are always going to help with that,” said Stephen. “But the music always comes first so we just want to work towards making an album that will stand the test of time.”

“Social media has completely changed the landscape and it’s incredibly important in the world of music today,” said Matt. “As an independent band it’s the most direct platform between us and our fans and it’s a great way to connect with them.”

You can catch up with The Academic – and any unique uses of social media they have to offer – by checking them out on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.